Phew… you’ve made me feel better already. 
I was half-thinking OH might cut the housekeeping, after he read out that headline this morning.
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We have some good friends, now in their 70s, who operated a very traditional financial model where she had a shopping budget that was very fixed, and quite limited in their early days. It always seemed a curious thing to me, but it worked for them.
I had a quick read of the Metro article, but it’s as short on quotes and context as one would expect. Bearing in mind comments made elsewhere in this forum about poor people buying macdonalds because it was cheap, I wonder if the MP might almost have a point - if you can spend £4 per head on a meal from Maccy D then there’s a world of culinary delights at half the cost awaiting you if you can use a kitchen.
Of course if you have nothing then that’s a very different thing, which is also part of the point of the article.
He’s talking out of part of his anatomy not usually associated with that function.
I’m not clear what sort of meal he thinks can be cooked for 30p - I am clear that Anderson, on his £80k salary with a £220k expenses claim1 probably isn’t qualified to comment on how those on low incomes should cook.
I’m struggling to think what sort of “meal” you could come up with for 30p - two Tesco own brand wheat bics plus 100ml of semi-skimmed would just about do it at 28p but I’d hesitate to call that a meal, it barely counts as breakfast as I doubt you’d get a hot drink included within the budget.
Anyone care to suggest what you might be able to cook up for 30p?
1] though it is only fair to point out that most MPs expenses are mainly constituency office staff salaries.
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And if you have access to a kitchen. Not just applies to those in temporary accommodation, but to my horror new housing units are being built with space for a hob and microwave only! So many easy meals to be made by putting a tray of things in the oven.
Can make vegetarian shepherd’s pie for 30p a serving.
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I’d be interested in the recipe for that, please… as I’ve no idea what it would be made with and if it only costs 30p a serving, it might well be an alternative for us.
Ditto
Just picking a recipie totally at random - Veggie shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash recipe | BBC Good Food
That claims to feed four people - looking at the quantities I reckon you could do more but just the can of lentils (60p, Tesco), a kg of carrots (40p) and a kg of potatoes (also 40p from Tesco, sweet potatoes are £1.10/kg) takes you past 30p for four people.
OK there are cheaper places than Tesco and the recipe probably does not need to be as complex but I think 30p a portion, including some green veg, is a heck of a challenge.
I think a hamburger is 99p still, although Since I don’t eat meat such things aren’t my area of expertise 
In all seriousness though, Jack Monroe has shown time and time again that it is in fact very possible to eat on almost no money, but near impossible to eat well. When you look at what they cook, they say themselves that they have a hell of a difficult time making things nutritionally balanced. There maybe food on the plate, but whether it’s actually much good for you is another matter.
I seem to recall from many, many years ago. Pensioners were recommended to eat baked beans and tinned sardines… “goodness at the right price” and possibly some truth in there, but also a lot of tosh (in my opinion)
I doubt it tbh. And considering the issues of obesity particularly with children I can’t see that being good in the long term.
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A hamburger is £0.89!
Small fries £0.99
Small diet coke £0.89
Mini McFlurry £0.79
A small, deeply unsatisfying meal for £3.56 A ‘Happy Meal’ is £2.59 perhaps containing all the above except the icecream.
Source:https://burgerlad.com/mcdonalds-menu-prices-uk/
See also McDonald's Menu Prices UK 2022 - McDonald's Prices & McDonald's Menu
One of the many things I love about France are the local markets and all that lovely fresh fruit and veg. I also don’t eat meat, so it’s great having access to all the lovely produce, and must say my diet has improved greatly since moving. Having said that, in the 20 years I’ve owned my house, I’ve noticed a marked difference in shape of many locals, which I put down to the growth and availability of processed convenience foods. 20 years ago I remember being surprised how svelte folks generally looked - not today.
I can’t see how it’s at all possible to prepare a ‘meal’ for 30p, but I would hope that tightening of budgets could help to have a positive impact on people’s diet by steering them away from ‘junk’ food 
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and the prix Français
Preparing a meal for 30p in France would be extremely difficult - I’d guess at costs being roughly 50% to 100% higher than a typical Tesco price, for non-economy stuff. It would be pretty difficult here, although easier for 10 than for 2.
The thing with shopping is that you have to bulk-buy certain things like rice or pasta to contain costs, which then requires a degree of stability and planning.
A friend worked in the world of nutrition in Mexico in the 70s/80s. People living in the countryside at the time, mainly ate beans and rice with home grown veg and fruit. Those who moved to the ghettos in Mexico City had a diet of MacDonalds and coke, because they thought that was more “sophisticated”. The malnourishment in the city was rife.
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Somehow ‘liking’ your comment is inappropriate, but that’s really sad and an illustration of how a lack of education allows people to be influenced. Having said that, I suspect beans and rice is an even less appealing, though likely healthier, diet.
Beans and rice is wonderful! I lived in Brazil in the 70s and just used to love feijoada ( based on beans with more or less anything thrown in the pot). Wonderful rich / dark gravy. Goes incredibly well with very dark greens like kale and orange slices. Delicious!
Wonderful - yet again we digress to food!
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I don’t do McDo or any fast food.
I cook from scratch… 99%.
If I can leave the table feeling I’ve “eaten enough” and it’s only cost 30p… I’m certainly interested in knowing the ingredients…
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yes, but it’s the fault of the politician… he started it this time…
Rice is, at least, cheap - Tesco start at 45p per kg which makes a 75g portion just under 4p. BUT you have to cook it, beans too which is a problem for many given energy prices at the moment.
It also lacks protein and roughage, if eaten on its own.
Another thing that makes me weep in this country. Getting a basmati for less than double the price it is in the U.K. has proved an impossible task. 30kg for £10 of incredible quality rice from my local world foods shop or 1.60€ for 500g in a french supermarket of stuff that is very poor. The world food shops here do it, but it either seems to be poor quality or much more expensive 
My search will continue though.